1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image determination method that determines whether or not characters or graphics included in an image are prepared by handwriting, an image processing apparatus that applies processing to the image in accordance with a determination, and an image outputting apparatus that outputs the image thus processed.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a publicly-known method in which the image of an original is optically read, and handwritten characters and printed characters included in the image thus read are determined and extracted. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-162102, whether or not the character is handwritten is determined by extracting a thickness of a stroke, linearity, and angle. Also, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-265424 and Laid Open No. 5-189604, whether or not the character is handwritten is determined by using the shape and size, and linearity of binarized data. Also, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-93466, whether or not the character is handwritten is determined by using the linearity of the binarized data. Further, in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 4-190473, whether or not the character is handwritten is determined by binarizing image data and using its pattern.
However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 10-162102, it is necessary to extract the stroke, linearity, and angle of characters, and therefore objects to be determined such as characters need a certain degree of size. Namely, when the character to be determined is small, there is a problem that determination accuracy is deteriorated. In addition, in recent years, the font to be used in the printed character is diversified, and there is also a handwriting like character. When such a kind of font is used, according to the conventional method, there is a high possibility that the character is determined to be a handwritten character, involving the problem of causing deterioration of the determination accuracy to occur.
In addition, according to the method disclosed in the conventional documents such as Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 11-265424, binarization is required in any case, thus involving a problem that a process time is increased. Moreover, it is necessary to add hardware, due to binarization, involving a problem that a manufacturing cost is increased.